Nothing Ever Really Ends
by Stolen Childe
Summary: Coda. What happens after the fade-to-black in 7.23?


**Title: **Nothing Ever Really Ends  
**Author: **Stolen Childe  
**Disclaimer: **Don't own them! Kripke and Co. do!  
**Rating: **PG  
**Warnings: **Spoilers and speculation, naughty language, coda, Dean and Cas friendship  
**Characters: **Dean, Castiel  
**Spoilers: **Up to and including 7x23  
**Word Count: **680  
**Summary: **What happened after fade-to-black in 7.23?  
**Author's Notes: **Wasn't sure if I was gonna do one of these, but I did. Coda for 7x23. Please enjoy!

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**Nothing Ever Really Ends**

"Damnit, Cas!"

"Yes, Dean?"

"Jesus Christ, Man. What the hell?" Dean spun around, Castiel having suddenly reappeared behind him.

"Wrong on both accounts, Dean. As I said, where do monsters go when they die? We're in Purgatory. I thought it prudent we arm ourselves but unfortunately there is not much to work with. I forged this. Forgive me for taking so long."

Castiel handed Dean a very roughly constructed sword, it looked to be mostly rock but it swung well enough and would be better than nothing. Castiel had his angelic blade in hand, hefting the now unfamiliar weight and peering down at the rapidly tarnishing silver speculatively.

"Uh oh," Castiel remarked.

"Cas?" Dean's tone was warning his gaze flickering around the small clearing as he moved closer to the angel, feeling the other being's heat as his back as the growling got louder and the eyes crept closer. "_Don't_say 'uh oh' right now."

"Yes, well…" Without warning Castiel reached up and gently gripped Dean's shoulder. Dean felt the all too familiar twist and pull of angel transport before he landed once more on the boggy ground, only to have the angel stagger into him, looking pale and unsettled.

On the one hand, they were no longer surrounded by angry snarling Purgatory beasts but on the other hand Castiel did not look to be holding up at all well.

"What's going on Cas?" Dean asked, steadying the angel who looked up with unfocused blue eyes.

"Unfortunately we are quite far from Heaven, Dean. If you'll recall, once angels are cut off from Heaven…"

"Oh shit. You're falling?"

"No, not quite. Rather, I think I'm becoming human as I'm out of my father's influence and fairly rapidly if this is any indication," Castiel held up his blade as explanation. The once gleaming celestial metal was now dull looking and nearly blackened entirely. "Though I imagine once we're out of here, I will regain my abilities."

Dean paused at that, inspecting Castiel critically. He was still clad in his trench-coat and loony-bin ensemble. His hair still tousled rather more than usual but his eyes and speech were clear.

"Cas… are you…?"

"Still crazy?" Castiel quirked a brow.

"Er…"

Castiel smiled gently. "I'm not sure. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. Perhaps though with renewed focus I am… functioning more appropriately. Though I maintain there was _nothing_ wrong with me. _I_never said I was crazy."

Dean shifted uncomfortably. Perhaps they weren't out of the woods entirely (or at all – because yeah, Purgatory looked an awful lot like the Boreal forest) but it was certainly an improvement. Castiel was a warrior angel again, apparently, even if he was rapidly becoming powerless.

"How much longer until your mojo doesn't hold?" Dean asked focusing on their main priority at the moment. Namely: escaping Purgatory.

"I used the last of it transporting us away from the beasts," Castiel said idly, peering around. He looked first at the sky then at the ground, inspecting a tree closely with head-cocked. "This is a nether-space."

"Huh?" Dean gaped, still not quite having his head wrapped around the fact that his wing-man was currently wing-less.

"Nether-space. A construct. I think you or I or both are creating what we see. It rather reminds me of the Taiga forest in Russia. Charming insects there – Very loud though."

Dean stared blankly for a moment, knowing it was too good to be true, before saying, "I figured more Northern Canada myself."

"They're one in the same, Dean. Extensions of each other for when the continents were one," Castiel explained patiently. "We should move."

"Yeah ah—Woah!"

Without warning Castiel had grabbed Dean's hand and began dragging him through the trees.

"Hey man what—"

Castiel sighed and rolled his eyes. "Dean, I imagine it's very easy to get lost here. I much prefer we stay attached and for the time being this is the only logical way."

"Oh… Right."

"We should go. I'd like to hopefully return to Earth before next season."

Dean stared at Cas with a puzzled frown. "Huh?"

"I'd very much like to see and hear the bees in Summer."

Dean groaned.

**End**


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